Issues in Babysitting
by Killjou
Summary: Six was a highly elite soldier, not a babysitter. So why did he often find young Rex at his door during the night seeking comfort? Little 10-year old Rex and Papa Six drabble. Takes place during the flashbacks of "Promises, Promises."


As soon as I watched Promises, Promises, I was just filled with adorable bubbly happiness. Widdle Rex was so damn CUTE! And watching them meet was just a gift from heaven (not to mention that huge mecha EVO that was just AWESOME). But with his age (After a bit of a rebuke and some research, I'm guessing he was actually around 12-13, but for the benefit of this story, he's 10!), so many possibilites opened up; I could easily see Rex immdiately labling Six as his father of sorts, especially with the adorable way they interacted. Like how Rex always ran to him when he was unsure or in danger, and how Six was always protecting him (like how he pushed Rex behind him and defended him when the White dude going all suspicious and angry at Rex is the perfect example).  
>And losing your memory and being stuck in a new, unknown place would have to be really truamatic for a kid, especially with the things he's experianced. I know a kid like Rex wouldn't probably act like this, but with everything Rex has been through (and can't remember) and then settling into his new life; well, I can easily see him having terrible nightmares about his past, things he can't remember, and EVO's that he's experianced.<p>

Overall, this just needed to be written. I adore the way the both of them interact; Rex is always messing up, always cracking jokes and trying to enjoy life and Six is always just _there_, looking out for him and dragging him out when he gets in too deep and overall being an adorable protective father-prick-person. And with that role comes emotional support.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. (Bet you thought I'd put some snappy remark in, didn't you? Well, I didn't; that's it!)

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><p>The door creaked.<p>

At this tiny noise, Six was immediately on his feet, sword drawn and at the door with it to the intruder's throat.

Said intruder yelped in shock and stumbled clumsily back, tripping over his own two feet and landing on the floor. He stared at Six with frightened round eyes, looking extremely small in his oversized second hand pajamas a Providence soldier had donated. Both of them froze for a few moments, their positions tense, both trying to make sense of what had happened before Six withdrew his sword with a sigh and stepped back, flicking the sword expertly into its folded holster.

'What is it?' he curtly asked, feeling uncomfortably informal in just his own plain white pajama top and shorts.

Rex continued to stare up at him, mouth open until Six grudgingly offered the anxious child a hand. As soon as he was on his feet Rex's gaze fell to the ground and he shuffled around nervously. 'I, uh, had another nightmare…' he mumbled, his eyes darting nervously around the dark corridor. Six followed his gaze wearily before rubbing his face.

'Why did you come to me? I'm sure there is someone else assigned for you to go to… '

Rex shrugged, moving closer as his eyes followed the shadows on the walls move. 'You're the only person I know that sleeps here,' he said in his annoyingly patented 'duh' voice. 'Holiday always goes home…' Rex shifted again under Six's penetrating gaze, his tone becoming almost… shy.

'And I was… well, I was wondering if I could, yo'know…,' he finally raised his eyes to Six, sounding hopeful. '…maybe sleep with you?'

Six blinked, then frowned, and then blinked again, completely caught off balance at what the kid was asking him. This was completely out of the jurisdiction. He took a few moments to consider and mull, his eyes never moving from Rex's wide and emotionally open expression.

'No,' he finally simply said, his tone sharper than he intended it to be. 'Why don't you go to the ape…?'

Rex raised an eyebrow at Six before gagging in disgust, his young face screwed up cutely. 'Would you wanna sleep with _that_?'

Six nodded. Kid had a point. He looked around hopelessly, as if checking for people who would miraculously turn up and sweep Rex away with a comforting hug, still debating on what the hell he was supposed to do when no such person appeared. 'Look, Rex, I know it's hard settling into a new life, especially when you can't remember your old one,' he said as soothingly and cautiously as he could. 'But sometimes we have to –'

'Be a man and grow up, blah blah, whatever, I don't care,' Rex growled out, crossing his arms and kicking roughly at the ground. 'I've had too many stinking lectures. I don't need another one.'

Six watched him, finding hope in the usual sassy attitude that had drifted back into the boy. That was the signal the nightmare deal was over and he could get back to sleep peacefully. 'Fine, I shall leave you in peace,' he said, nodding stiffly and stepping back to close the door.

He wasn't prepared for the quickness in which Rex reacted, or the desperation in his movements, and for the first time in his life, he found himself caught off guard. Not in a physical sense, but a deeply emotional one. Rex had grabbed onto his arm and held on for dear life, his eyes suddenly wide and pleading.

'Don't leave me out here alone!' he squeaked, his voice strained and uncharacteristically wobbly. 'Please-they'll get me—I can't—please _don't leave me_.'

Six took a step back in surprise, then immediately stepped aside for Rex to enter, watching the scared boy intently. It hurt him to see the usually spunky kid so affected over nightmares, and found himself giving into a deep paternal urge to stop him from worrying. He had stumbled across Rex before with the issue of nightmare troubles, but never had the child miracle hinted that they were as bad as they seemed to be now. He had seen little Rex face an escaped rampaging EVO within Providence base with all the cool swagger and confidence of a highly trained warrior, even if he barely managed to hold it off until the soldiers could arrive to subdue it. These nightmares seemed to be deeply physiological; Rex looked scared, and Six had never seen him so. This was… serious.

Rex padded over to Six's dominating king sized bed cautiously, peering on top with he trained eye of a professional. Six couldn't help smile as he swept one last gaze over the dark corridor and shut the door, following Rex to the bed. 'I can assure you there are no EVO monsters under my bed,' he said with slight amusement.

Rex snorted disdainfully, tiling his nose in the air. 'Who said I was afraid of monsters?' he sniffed, crossing his arms again, a gesture he had picked up from Holiday, and which worked effectively when combined with a pout (as he had learned while begging for attention from the troops).

'Nobody did,' Six said in his clear logical tone the he knew ticked Rex off. 'You just implied it then with your crude comment.' He sat down on the bed and locked gazes with Rex, who broke it off at Six's soft accusation and looked uncomfortably at the side wall, suddenly looking very vulnerable and young.

'I see them sometimes,' he said monotonously, his fragile body shaking. 'In my dreams. They try to get me, and use me, and they never stop. Then I wake up… and I- I can't remember…anything…'

Six's face softened as small sounds started coming from Rex that were quite common among children after the effects of a nightmare. It took him a few moments to realize that Rex was actually crying. And not like normal children usually did. Normal children were loud, and dramatic, and all over the place. Rex was quiet, and introverted, his sobs small and almost unnoticeable, and his tears even more so. They slipped silently out of his eyes and slipped down his cheeks, leaving small wet trails of moisture that shined like scars in the dim light of Six's room.

'I-I keep trying… but they're always there, trying to get me…'

Six briefly marveled that even while In his most inner and broken state, Rex was still stronger than anyone Six knew. His awe of this boy and the hope he gained from him simply never stopped. And this was what drove him to act in ways he had never imagined; both at this moment and while working with the boy in training.

He stood and picked Rex up, holding him securely to his chest as he turned back to the bed and crawled onto it, laying himself and Rex among the comforting covers. He drew them around the both of them, and tucked them steadily around Rex's body, pausing to gently wipe at the fading tear marks on the boy's face with the edge of the covers.

When he was done, he settled himself next to Rex, never pulling his hand away from Rex's chest, where the young boy hugged it like a lifeline, watching him silently and thankfully in the darkness. Even the tiny sleepy mumble of 'Thanks, Six,' was spoken with more gratitude than Six ever thought Rex could hold.

He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Rex's content smile and peaceful posture as the hopeless look on his face faded into a small safe smile was reward enough. He just lay there, being the vessel for Rex's fears and shepherding them out of the small EVO's mind by providing the one thing Rex needed in his life; love and support.

Six didn't even move when Rex shuffled closer in a drowsy stupor after a few minutes and snuggled against him, mumbling happily.

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><p>But when Holiday entered with her camera phone the next morning prior to her rushed investigation to Rex's whereabouts that morning, nothing stopped him from discarding Rex on the floor and employing his most impressive death stare against Holiday's shouted "aww's" of pleasure and Rex's squeaked protests and his demands shortly after to see the photos. He would probably get a hold of them from Holiday one way or another, and then they would be all over Providence, and he would lose all credible respect he had among the troops, not to mention his reputation…<p>

Just another night living in Providence with Rex.

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><p>Yeah, it's short and sappy, but I don't care!<p> 


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